Lamp display container



Sept. 24, 1935. v J H|N$QN 2,015,222

LAMP DISPLAY CONTAINER Original Filed April 30, 1951 1 INVENTOR Jag E). Hmson BY 6 A ORNEY Patented Sept. 24, 1935 FATEN'E @FEEQ LAMP DISPLAY CONTAINER Jay B. Hinson, Hartsdale, N. Y.. assignor to Leo H. Fuller, Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 30, 1931, Serial No. 533,910

Renewed February 16, 1935 6 Claims.

The invention relates to devices for the attractive and effective display of electric lamp bulbs or similar articles in retail stores or show rooms, and for analogous purposes.

The device in any of its various forms embodies as principal features, a piece of sheet material in the general nature of a card, cardboard or similar material, arranged or provided with means for supporting it in substantially upright position, and having novel and improved means for removably receiving, supporting, and effectively displaying an incandescent lamp bulb, or other electrical appliance or accessory having a threaded base-portion. In the following description, reference is made principally to the use of the invention structure for display of incondescent lamps, but it will be understood that this is not intended as a limiting restriction except in certain specific claims.

In preferred forms, as herein disclosed, the bulb-supporting means consists of one or more tongues or flaps located at an aperture in the card (or analogous support of sheet material),

' and usually cnnsisting of an integral portion or portions of the sheet material, so cut and bent or bendable at a line or lines of juncture with the main sheet that such flap or flaps will engage the thread formations of the sheet-metal lamp base and retain the lamp in generally perpendicular relation to the supporting card or sheet.

These tongues, flaps or equivalent formations are preferably so devised that the lamp may be mounted on the card by straightwise, non-rotary insertion of the threaded base into the aperture and in engagement with the defiectable tongue or tongues, and the lamps may, when desired, be removed by a rotary or unscrewing action.

Of course, one or more of the lamp receiving apertures with appropriate flap or tongue formations for each, may be provided in a single supporting card. I show here a single lamp supporting means, since in many cases a most effective display is made where a single lamp bulb is mounted on the card.

The main supporting elementcard or analogous article of sheet material-may be diversely shaped, in representation of a human or other figure, or in other ways. Such modifications are not, per se, a part of the invention, which as here disclosed is embodied in a card of simple rectangular form.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufficiently explained in connection with the following detail description of I the accompanying drawing, which shows preferred embodiments. After considering this example, skilled persons will understand that many changes may be made without departing from the principles disclosed; and I contemplate the employment of any structures that are properly 5, within the scope of 'the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display device embodying the invention in one form.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, enlarged, of the central portion of the card, including a lamp- 10 supporting device or formation embodying this feature of the invention in one preferred form.

Fig. 3 is a section at 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section at 44, Fig. 2.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are Views similar to Fig. 2, showing different forms or modifications of the lamp supporting means.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the invention in one preferred form comprises a sheet I of suitable material, usually of the nature of pulp board, ply-board or cardboard and sometimes referred to as a card. The principal essentials are that the sheet or card shall be of material which can readily be cut to form supporting flaps or tongues in integral bendable relation to the card, and is of sufficient thickness and stiffness to provide the desired supporting and display functions.

As previously stated, the card may be of any desired general shape or contour, a plain rectangular card being selected as embodying the structural essentials of the device. As also previously indicated, the card may be provided with one or more lamp-receiving and supporting formations or devices, a single one of such devices being illustrated, and this is, as shown, located at or near the center of the card.

Such supporting means or device in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 comprises an aperture 2 cut or formed in a desired location in the card and in this instance having horizo-ntally-oppos'ftely located arcuate edges 3. The radius of ourvature of the arcuate edges 3 is substantially equal to or greater than the radius of curvature of the base of the lamp or other article to be supported. At upper and lower sides of the aperture, spaced divergent slits 4 are cut in the card, each pair of slits defining 'a flap or tongue 5 which is bendable or bent in a rearward direction in relation to the plane of the card, at the line 6, which is the line of juncture of the integral flap with the card. The edges of these flaps are designed to cooperate with the lamp base, and for this purpose their central edge portions 1 are preferably of arcuate curvature, the radius of. curvature of these arcs 1 being substantially shorter than that of the arcuate edges 3 and therefore less than the radius of curvature of the base of the lamp or other article to be supported.

That portion of the lamp-base-receiving aperture which is defined by the horizontally-opposite arcuate edges 3, is of a width or diameter to receive or admit by a straight pushing action (without necessity for rotation or screwing action) the thread formations 8 of the ordinary sheet-metal lamp base 9, which usually has a slightly flared lip or outward-end portion In immediately adjoining the rounded end or base portion H of the glass bulb l2. Actually the arcuate card-aperture edges 3 may be dimensioned to slightly engage the crests of the threads 8 or in some cases may be so formed as to provide a slight clearance. The arcuate edge portions 1 of the bendable flaps 5 are so arranged or dimensioned that when the lamp base is inserted, as shown in Fig. 3, these flaps are deflected at a rearward angle, and the edges 1 engage in the bottoms of the lamp-base-thread formations, thus yieldably or resiliently but firmly and positively supporting the lamp, with its bulb projecting straight outwardly from the face of the card, substantially as if the lamp were inserted in a screw-socket in the card, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The lamp, as previously suggested, may be inserted by a straight pushing movement, producing rearward deflection of the bendable flaps 5, and this inward movement may be regulated by the manipulator, or such movement may be limited by engagement of the arcuate side-edge portions 3 with the flared lip l0 of the lamp base, or in some cases by engagement with the convex base portion ll of the bulb, so that in any event the aperture and supporting formation may be such as to definitely limit the inward insertion-movement of the bulb.

The card is provided with any suitable supporting leg or flap I5 which may be of known character and is not per se a part of the invention although it is included in some claims as a part of the general combination.

The face of the card may have any desired design, advertising matter or decorative finish, such as the design or indicia shown in Fig. 1, which is usually calculated to have a suggestive relation to the lamp bulb, for greatest display and sale-promotion effect.

When it is desired to remove the bulb from the card (as to replace it with another one of different character) the removal is effected by a rotary unscrewing action, in which the arcuate edge portions 1 act practically as segmental screw threads in cooperation with the threaded lamp base, which is freed from flaps by this unscrewing movement.

The flaps may be bent as a step in the process of manufacture and before any bulb is inserted in the card; or deflection of the flaps may be accomplished without preliminary bending, in the first act of inserting a bulb base in the aperture.

Fig. 5 shows a modification, in which the aperture 2 throughout the greater part of its circumference has a circular edge-contour 20, the radius of this portion being substantially the same as that of the elements 3 of the previous example; that is, such as to receive the thread formations of the lamp base by a straight pushing action, with slight clearance or with only slight frictional resistance to such inserting action. A single bendable or deflectable flap 2| is in this instance provided, preferably located at the upper side of the aperture, and substantially similar to the upper flap 5 of Fig. 2. This single flap 2| is deflected in the act of lamp insertion 5 and then engages an upper segment of one of the bottom or groove portions of the lamp-basethread formation, and supports the bulb in the desired perpendicular relation to the card by what may be called a leverage action, since the 10 arcuate edge portion 1 engages in the thread formation at a point or in a plane substantially rearward of the plane of the card, while a lower segment of the lamp base 9 rests on the lower portion of the circular aperture-edge 29, which 15 is of course in the plane of the card; and thus the weight of the outwardly-projecting bulb is adequately supported and the bulb is retained firmly in the desired position, and may when necessary be removed in the same manner as 20 previously explained.

Fig. 6 shows another modification, in which three flaps 22, generally similar to the flaps 5 or 2|, are provided, in uniformly spaced relation about the base-receiving aperture 2.

Fig. 7 is somewhat similar, except that four flaps 23 are provided about the aperture 2, each flap having the general characteristics of the flaps 5, 29 or 22.

The structures or arrangements of Figs. 6 30 and 7 difier from those of Figs. 2 and 5 in that in Figs. 6 and 7 the base-receiving aperture is completely surrounded by bendable or deflectable supporting flaps, whereas in Fig. 2 there are only two bendable flaps, in separate or spaced 5 relation, and located at vertically-opposite sides of the base aperture, of which the horizontallyopposite marginal portions 3 are of a substantially fixed character; that is, they are not designed for deflection in the act of tube-base insertion, but act as stops to limit the inserting movement by engagement with the base lip I0 or with the projecting bulb portion l I. Similarly, in Fig. 5, the single flap 2| is bendable but the remainder of the aperture-margin is of fixed or non-deflectable character, or at least bending or deflection of this main marginal portion of the aperture is not essential to the proper insertion of the tube-base. In structures of the character of Figs. 6 and 7, inward movement of the lamp-base may be limited by engagement of the base lip portion [0, or of the convex portion I I of the bulb, with the card at or about the lines 6, which are the bending lines, or lines of juncture of the bendable flaps with the card proper.

While the device as so far described is especially adapted for sale-display in effective manner of an incandescent lamp, it will be evident that with or without modification it may be used for the similar display of analogous articles including principally electrical appliances having a threaded base portion of the same general character or dimensions as the lamp-base-shell 9 here shown.

In view of the several modifications or variations shown, it is evident that other modifications may also be made within the scope defined in the claims.

I claim,

1. A display device comprising a support of sheet material of substantial thickness and stiffness and arranged for support in projected relation to the sheet material of an incandescent lamp or other article provided with a threaded 75 base of general circular configuration, said display device having an aperture, the material at a portion of the edge of the aperture being located at one end of a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of the base of the I article, the material at another edge portion of the aperture being located at one end of a redius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, the material at said second-named edge portion being slitted at a plurality of locations to afiord displacement of the same, whereby upon insertion of the screwthreaded base of the article, the material at the first-named edge portion of the aperture serves to non-yieldably support the article and the edge portion of the second-named portion of the aperture serves to yieldably support the article.

2. A display device comprising a support of sheet material of substantial thickness and stiffness and arranged for support in projected relation to the sheet material of an incandescent lamp or other article provided with a threaded base of general circular configuration, said display device having an aperture, the material at a portion of the edge of the aperture being located at one end of a radius'of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, the material at another edge portion of the aperture being located at one end of a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, said second-named edge portion being arcuate of a diameter less than the diameter of the base of the article, the material at said second-named edge portion being slitted at a plurality of locations to afford displacement of the same, whereby upon insertion of the screwthreaded base of the article, the material at the first-named edge portion of the aperture serves to non-yieldably support the article and the edge portion of the second-named portion of the aperture serves to yieldably support the article.

3. A display device comprising a support of sheet material of substantial thickness and stiffness and arranged for support in projected relation to the sheet material of an incandescent lamp or other article provided with a threaded base of general circular configuration, said display device having an aperture, the material at a portion of the edge of the aperture being located at one end of a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, the material at another edge portion of the aperture being located at one end of a radius of ourvature less than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, said second-named edge portion being disposed substantially immediately adjacent said first-named edge portion, the material at said second-named edge portion being slitted at a plurality of locations to afford displacement of the same, whereby upon insertion of the screw-threaded base of the article, the material at the first-named edge portion of the aperture serves to non-yieldably support the article and the edge portion of the second-named portion of the, aperture serves to yieldably support the article. V

4. A display device comprising a support of sheet material of substantial thickness and stiffness and arranged for support in projected relation to the sheet material of an incandescent lamp or other article provided with a threaded base of general circular configuration, said display device having an aperture, the material at opposite portions of the edge of the aperture being located at one end of a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, the material at another edge portion of the aperture being located at one end of a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, the material at said second-named edge portion being slitted at a plurality of locations to afford displacement of the same, whereby upon insertion of the screwthreaded base of the article, the material at the first-named edge portion of the aperture serves to non-yieldably support the article and the edge portion of the second-named portion of the aperture serves to yieldably support the article.

5. A display device comprising a support of sheet material of substantial thickness and stiffness and arranged for support in projected relation to the sheet material of an incandescent lamp or other article provided with a threaded base of general circular configuration, said display device having an aperture, the material at opposite portions of the edge of the aperture being located at one end of a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, the material at oppositely related other edge portions of the aperture being located at one end of a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, the material at said second-named edge portion being slitted at a plurality of locations to afford displacement of the same, whereby upon insertion of the screw-threaded base of the article, the material at the first-named edge portion of the aperture serves to non-yieldably support the article and the edge portion of the second-named portion of the aperture serves to yieldably support the article.

6. A display device comprising a support of sheet material of substantial thickness and stiffness and arranged for support in projected relation to the sheet material of an incandescent lamp or other article provided with .a threaded base of general circular configuration, said display device having an aperture, the material at opposite portions of the edge of the aperture being located at one end of a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, the material at oppositely related other edge portions of the aperture being located at one end of a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of the base of the article, said second-named edge portion being arcuate of a diameter less than the diameter of the base of the article, the material at said second-named edge portion being slitted at a plurality of locations to afford displacement of the same, whereby upon insertion of the screw-threaded base of the article, the material at the first-named edge portions of the aperture serves to non-yieldably support the article and the edge portion of the second-named portion of the aperture serves to yieldably support the article.

JAY B. HINSON. 

